St. Cloud State University Cuts Music Department, Leaving Students in Limbo Amid Budget Crisis

Crisis in Higher Education: Music Programs and Students Face Uncertainty Amid Budget Cuts

In a challenging landscape for American colleges, students are grappling with the fallout from recent substantial program cuts, as exemplified by the recent decisions at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota. Among the casualties, the music department, which was once a home for aspiring music therapists like Christina Westman, was slated for elimination as part of a broader effort that saw the college reduce 42 degree programs and 50 minors.

The Impact on Students

For Westman, who envisioned a career working with Parkinson’s and stroke patients as a music therapist, the cancellation of her major has transformed her academic journey into a frantic search for alternatives. “It’s just the fear of the unknown,” the 23-year-old reflected on her decision to transfer to Augsburg University in Minneapolis, navigating a city change and the process of subletting her St. Cloud apartment.

Though the university aims to allow most students to complete their current programs, the abrupt cuts have left many, including Westman, in a state of flux, scrambling to reestablish academic and living situations that were just recently planned.

Educational Landscape in Flux

As funding challenges mount, U.S. colleges are facing a precarious financial reality. Federal COVID relief funds that previously helped sustain operations are now depleted, leading to under-enrollment and increased costs, particularly at four-year institutions. According to Patrick Lane, vice president at the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, the combination of a demographic decline in young adults and evolving student priorities is forcing colleges to reconsider traditional degree offerings.

St. Cloud State’s enrollment, which peaked at around 18,300 in 2020, dropped to approximately 10,000 by the fall of 2023, highlighting a significant decline that only intensified budget deficits totaling $32 million over the last two years. The national pattern as demonstrated by institutions like Birmingham-Southern College and Wells College is stark, with continued closures and program eliminations across America.

The Future of Music Education

Terry Vermillion, a music professor of 34 years at St. Cloud State, analyzed the situation as a damaging outcome of the pandemic, which had already disrupted music education significantly. He characterized the move to online teaching as “disastrous,” further isolating students and programs from the experiential learning vital to musical training.

Undergraduates like Lilly Rhodes face a daunting future as the music department winds down—no new students will enter the program, leading to an inevitable decline in music ensembles and available teaching opportunities. “It’s a little difficult to keep going if it’s like this,” Rhodes noted, expressing her worries about the gradual disappearance of a structural program that once supported budding music professionals.

Broader Implications of University Cuts

The sweeping cuts in music and other specialized programs—particularly in the humanities—reflect a broader reconsideration by higher education institutions against a backdrop of stagnant or declining enrollment. Evidence from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center indicates trends are in flux, with community colleges recovering slightly, yet major four-year institutions remain in a perplexing predicament.

As state universities like those in North Carolina recently signaled their intent to reduce degree offerings significantly, a cohort of educational and labor experts is expressing grave concerns about approaching enrollment timelines. The data suggest that for the upcoming fall, significant challenges loom as the traditional pathways to higher education potentially narrow.